It is one of those lines that just sticks. You know the one. In the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers, an elderly man in Stuttgart stands up to a demi-god. Loki, played with a sort of oily brilliance by Tom Hiddleston, is demanding total kneeling submission from a terrified crowd. He’s lecturing them about how they were made to be ruled. Then, this one guy—unnamed, frail, but weirdly sturdy—stands up. He tells the god of mischief, "There are always men like you."
Loki sneers. He tells the old man that there are "no men" like him.
The old man doesn't blink. He just says, "There are always men like you."
It’s a tiny moment in a movie filled with flying aircraft carriers and giant green rage monsters. Yet, it’s arguably the most "human" moment in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Why? Because it isn’t about superpowers. It’s about history. It’s about the cyclical nature of ego and the way certain personality types try to steamroll the rest of the world every few decades.
The History Behind the Line
Director Joss Whedon didn't just write that line because it sounded cool in a script meeting. The scene is set in Germany. That is not an accident. The elderly man is clearly meant to be a survivor of the Holocaust or, at the very least, someone who lived through the Nazi occupation. When he looks at Loki—a guy dressed in gold and green demanding absolute fealty—he doesn't see a space alien. He sees a ghost from his own youth.
Honestly, it’s a heavy concept for a popcorn flick.
When people search for there are always men like you, they are usually looking for the clip or trying to remember who that actor was. His name is Zlatko Burić. He’s a Croatian-Danish actor who brings this incredible, weathered gravitas to a role that lasts maybe ninety seconds. He doesn’t have a shield. He doesn't have a suit of armor. He just has the truth.
The line works because it strips away the "super" from the villain. It tells the tyrant that he isn't special. It tells him he's a cliché. Throughout human history, from the Roman emperors to the dictators of the 20th century, there is always a guy who thinks he’s the main character of the universe. And there is always someone who has to stand up and point out that we’ve seen this show before.
Why Tyrants Hate Being Called Ordinary
Loki’s reaction is telling. He’s offended. He wants to be seen as a transcendent being, a literal god. By saying there are always men like you, the old man is basically saying, "You’re just another bully in a fancy hat."
Psychologically, this is devastating to a narcissist.
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Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist who specializes in narcissism, often talks about how narcissists crave "narcissistic supply"—which is basically attention, fear, or adoration. By categorizing Loki as just "another one of those guys," the old man denies him that unique status. He treats Loki like a repetitive historical error rather than a divine event.
Think about the actual "men like you" in real life. We see them in corporate boardrooms, in toxic relationships, and in political arenas. They use the same script. They tell you that freedom is a burden. They tell you that you need their "vision" to survive. They thrive on the idea that they are the only ones capable of leading.
The Power of the Stand
The scene shifts the energy of the entire movie. Up until that point, the Avengers are bickering. They’re a mess. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers can’t stand each other. But this old man in Stuttgart provides the moral compass. He reminds the audience—and the heroes—what is actually at stake.
It’s about the refusal to kneel.
In the 1940s, there were thousands of people who did exactly what this character did. Some are famous, like Sophie Scholl and the White Rose movement. Others are anonymous. They are the people who looked at a massive, terrifying machine of state power and said "no."
There's something deeply comforting about the phrase there are always men like you. It implies that if the villains are a constant, then the resistance to them is also a constant. You can't have one without the other. It's a sort of historical Newton's Third Law: for every action of tyranny, there is an equal and opposite reaction of human spirit.
Is This Still Relevant in 2026?
People are still talking about this scene because it feels like it’s happening in real-time. Whether it's social media "main characters" or actual geopolitical figures, the "Loki archetype" is alive and well.
The internet has made it easier for "men like you" to find an audience. You see it in the rise of the "alpha male" influencers who demand a weird, subservient loyalty from their followers. They use the same rhetoric. They promise order. They promise a return to some imaginary golden age where they were in charge.
But the lesson from the Stuttgart scene is that these people are ultimately fragile. Loki's response to the old man is to try and kill him. Why? Because he can't win the argument. If you have to use a glowing scepter to make someone stop talking, you’ve already lost the intellectual battle.
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Beyond the Screen: Real World Applications
So, how do you actually handle the "men like you" in your own life? It's easy to cheer for a guy in a movie, but it's a lot harder when it's your boss or a family member.
Basically, it comes down to "Grey Rocking." This is a technique used to deal with manipulative or narcissistic individuals. You become as uninteresting as a grey rock. You don't give them the emotional reaction they crave. You don't acknowledge their "godhood."
When the old man stands up, he isn't screaming. He isn't being dramatic. He's just stating a boring fact.
"There are always men like you."
It’s the ultimate de-escalation of their ego. You aren't arguing with their logic, because their logic is usually nonsense anyway. You’re just identifying the pattern.
How to spot the pattern early:
- They demand "loyalty" but never offer it in return.
- They frame your independence as a "burden" or a mistake.
- They get disproportionately angry when they are treated as "average" or "normal."
- They use fear to consolidate power, even in small social circles.
The MCU has gone through a lot of phases since 2012. We’ve had multiversal wars and cosmic resets. But honestly, nothing has quite matched the grounded, bone-chilling reality of that interaction in Germany. It reminded us that the real villains aren't the ones with purple skin or infinity stones. The real villains are the ones who think they have the right to tell you to kneel.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Scene
A common misconception is that the old man was "brave" because he thought the Avengers would save him. If you watch the scene closely, Captain America hasn't arrived yet. The old man fully expects to die. He stands up because he would rather die on his feet than live on his knees.
That is the distinction.
Bravery isn't the absence of fear; it's the realization that something else is more important than fear. In this case, the "something else" is the refusal to let a bully have the last word.
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If you find yourself facing down someone who acts like they own the room, remember the guy in Stuttgart. Remember that their power is usually a performance. They need your participation to make the act work. If you refuse to participate—if you refuse to acknowledge their self-proclaimed greatness—the whole thing starts to wobble.
The script for there are always men like you wasn't just movie dialogue. It was a warning. It’s a reminder that history is a circle, and that every generation will have its Loki. But it’s also a reminder that every generation will have its old man in a suit, standing up in the middle of a crowd, refusing to be intimidated by a light show.
Actionable Steps for Dealing with "Loki" Personalities
If you're dealing with a "Loki" in your life—someone who demands submission or thinks they are above the rules—here is how you handle it without needing a vibranium shield.
Identify the Script
Realize that their behavior isn't unique. When you see it as a pattern rather than an individual stroke of genius, it loses its power over you. They are following a playbook that is thousands of years old.
Refuse the Performance
Don't give them the big emotional blowout they want. If they are trying to intimidate you, stay calm. Use short, factual sentences. Don't argue their "divine right" to be in charge. Just focus on the reality of the situation.
Find Your "Stuttgart" Community
The old man stood up alone, but the crowd followed his lead. If you are in a toxic environment, find the others who see what you see. There is safety in numbers, and narcissists hate it when the "commoners" start talking to each other.
Document the Overreach
Whether it's at work or in a legal situation, "men like you" always eventually overstep because their ego tells them they are untouchable. Keep records. Wait for the mask to slip. It always does.
Keep Your Perspective
Loki thought he was a god. He ended up getting smashed into the floor by a Hulk. The ego always creates a blind spot. Use that to your advantage. While they are busy admiring their own reflection, you can be planning your next move.
The legacy of that scene isn't just about movies. It's about the fact that humanity has a long memory. We've seen the capes, we've seen the speeches, and we've seen the "men like you" come and go. And every single time, they are eventually forgotten, while the people who stood up remain the real heroes of the story.